Finding data needle in a data haystack: transforming "α-ßΩτ" with Microsoft AI Language Services

This blog is part of a series about WITS, the World Integrated Trade Solution , a collaborative trade data platform developed by the World Bank and other institutions. This is the ninth installment of the series—for further reading, here are the first , second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth installments.

You may have read about our chatbot named α-ßΩτ turning one in 2020. We are thrilled to announce a significant upgrade to α-ßΩτ, transitioning from Microsoft LUIS and QnA Maker to the more advanced Microsoft AI Language Services. This transition unlocks a new level of capability, enabling our chatbot to engage in more natural and dynamic interactions.

What's new?

The bot looks the same but do not get deceived. The most impactful enhancement lies in the chatbot's ability to understand and respond to intricate and nuanced queries. This is made possible by the integration of Natural Language Processing (NLP) within Microsoft AI Language Services. NLP equips the chatbot with the ability to discern the underlying intent of a question, even when it is not expressed in a straightforward or predictable manner.

We have integrated knowledge base search results in data search, earlier if you wanted to find "Types of Tariff" you would have to switch to the Knowledge Search tab. Now you can perform the same search in Data Search, and we will provide you information on tariff data along with details of types of tariff. If you are looking for data only you can disable the "Include KB Search", and it will disable the metadata and Knowledge Hero cards.

On a lighter note. Previously, our chatbot operated in a more transactional mode, unable to manage inquiries like "What is your name?". Now it can answer questions like "What is your name?" "Do you get hungry."

Other improvements

Beyond the ability to tackle more complex questions, this upgrade brings a host of additional benefits, including:

●くろまる Faster response times: Interactions with the chatbot are now more fluid and efficient, with reduced latency in response generation.

●くろまる More accurate answers: The enhanced NLP capabilities contribute to a higher degree of accuracy in the chatbot's responses, ensuring that users receive reliable and relevant information.

●くろまる A more natural conversation flow: The chatbot's conversational style has been refined to feel more natural and human-like, fostering a more engaging and intuitive user experience.

Future possibilities

The integration of Microsoft AI Language Services is a significant leap forward in our chatbot's capabilities. As this technology continues to evolve, we envision a future where our chatbot can engage in even more sophisticated and nuanced conversations, becoming an invaluable tool for communication, information retrieval, and personalized help.

We are excited about the possibilities that this upgrade unlocks and the potential it holds for transforming the way we interact with technology. We invite you to visit the WITS website experience the enhanced capabilities of our chatbot by clicking on the chatbot icon

Siddhesh Kaushik